Budda Dual Stage 30

[waxnsteel]

Everybody is building amps based on "Classic" circuits. Somebody comes along and builds something great, and somebody else says "Hey, we do that!! You can't!!!" Well, there are schematics for all the other amps online... can anyone point me to a schematic for the Budda Dual stage 30? No one who has one wants to let it go, and I want to build something cool. I know, I know, it would be over my head. I'd be asking for help all along the way. Can anyone help?

Thanks.

 

[TheAmpNerd]

Originally posted by waxnsteel
Everybody is building amps based on "Classic" circuits. Somebody comes along and builds something great, and somebody else says "Hey, we do that!! You can't!!!" Well, there are schematics for all the other amps online... can anyone point me to a schematic for the Budda Dual stage 30? No one who has one wants to let it go, and I want to build something cool. I know, I know, it would be over my head. I'd be asking for help all along the way. Can anyone help?

Thanks.

Sometimes you have to do it the old fashioned way.
Take cash and buy one.

Then take all the notes, measurements, draw your own schematic and layout. Then post it so we can verify you did it correctly.

Build what you intend.

Finally, sell the original and enjoy yours.

 

[waxnsteel]

lol Dude, I would! I almost never see them for sale, though!

 

[Dave B]

There is a 2x12 on eBay as we speak that still has three days to go with a great starting bid. There's one on HC, too, so it may be the same amp/guy.

As long as you don't need everything it can offer up all at once, there's a myriad of tones you can elicit from this amp/cab.

I 'graduated' from a Twinmaster that I had for seven years to a DS30 1x12 combo, which I promptly converted to a head so I could use it with my 1210 cab. Unfortunately, it was just too loud for my at-home hobbyist needs, so I sold the head/cab on TGP boards back in May after I had it about a year and a half. There was another 2x12 combo for sale here about a month or so later that I don't think had any takers (if I recall correctly), but I haven't seen it re-emerge. So they do appear here and on HC every now and then.

If you are going to build your own, the hard parts probably would be the 'channel' switching between the 6L6s and the EL84s, the cabinet switching between the dual Main and dual Auxiliary outs, the ability to switch both 'channels' and speaker outs simultaneously (yep, there are three footswitch jacks in the back), the built-in attenuator that affects only the EL84s and allows you to dial in your grind, the Bite control that only affects the Hi Gain input, and the additional 5881 volume control that lets you balance your 6L6 level to your EL84 level and dial in whether you want your 6L6s to stay clean or sizzle. Guess that about covers it. There's a PDF manual for it on Budda's website.

If yo do build your own, please put the fuse in an accessible place. After I fried mine when my rectifier tube wasn't in properly, it took me an hour to find it!!!

 

[waxnsteel]

I actually thought about combining circuits, building an AC-30 and a Deluxe in one box, and just BUYING one of Mario's (Axess Electronics) boxes that switch heads as the output, keeping the pre stage minimal, and getting one of those Randall modular preamps. I think that would be bad as hell, but I'm not sure I'm "man" enough to go through with the project. This would be a killer one for the Valvetech guy to build, no?

 

[waxnsteel]

Thanks for the heads up on the eBay auction, man, I had been looking every few days. The amp is actually a 2 X 0 combo right now, but I'm into it. If I score the amp, I won't bother building one, but am willing to share info. Thanks again, man.

 

[Dave B]

Originally posted by waxnsteel
Thanks for the heads up on the eBay auction, man, I had been looking every few days. The amp is actually a 2 X 0 combo right now, but I'm into it. If I score the amp, I won't bother building one, but am willing to share info. Thanks again, man.

YW. But I have to ask, what's a 2 x 0?

Both amps I mentioned are 2x12 models. And as I was checking, there appears yet another DS30 on HC, but it doesn't say what configuration it is. And I just saw DodsonLP here on TGP offer up a DS30 2x12 in sparkle**'s HC30 For Sale thread. Dang, when it rains, it pours.

Now, if we'd only see some Stringmasters go up for grabs...

Nice website, BTW.

 

[waxnsteel]

The eBay ad says the speakers are removed.

And thanks, My girlfriend's working on it. You aren't talking about the cheezy geocities one, right? lol

 

[Dave B]

Originally posted by waxnsteel
The eBay ad says the speakers are removed.

And thanks, My girlfriend's working on it. You aren't talking about the cheezy geocities one, right? lol

Duh! I guess if I had read the entire ad (instead of lusting after the amp), I would have seen that it was speakerless.

And yes, I'm talking about the 'cheezy' geocities site.

Good luck if you chase down one of these DS30's.

 

[waxnsteel]

I finally got one!! I love it! I can't make the thing sound bad! Totally diggin it. Have to play moderately loud to get good cleans on it. It seems to be all mids until it gets opened up a little bit. I wasn't exactly 'disappointed" but a little surprised that the power stages didn't have more drastic tonal differences.

I've read reviews where people say it's dead quiet. The Lo input is quiet pretty much the whole way, but the hi-gain input gets noisy really quick. It's a shame, too. I wish they were separate channels cause the tone on the high gain is PHENOMENAL. There's definitely fatness, complexity, and some good "swirl" goin on. Particularly with single coils. Well worth the price and the wait, though.

 

[Dave B]

Originally posted by waxnsteel
I finally got one!! I love it! I can't make the thing sound bad! Totally diggin it.

Congrats!!!

Have to play moderately loud to get good cleans on it. It seems to be all mids until it gets opened up a little bit.

I noticed that too, which is why I used my Hotplate with it on the EL84 side (in parallel attenuation mode), even though there's a built in attenuator. Each one had its pluses and minuses, so by using each one a little bit, I got the best of both and minimized the negatives.

I wasn't exactly "disappointed" but a little surprised that the power stages didn't have more drastic tonal differences.

I found a 1x12 combo, bought a new head shell from Jeff B., and used a 1210 cab with it, having the EL84s come through the closed back 2x12s in the bottom for overdrive sounds, and the 6L6s come through the open back 2x10s in the top for cleans. The simultaneous tube/cabinet change made for a very noticeable tonal difference. But I remember playing it the first week or two while it was still in a 1x12 combo, and I think you're right, you can't really tell as much, even when the throttle is opened up a bit. So try cab switching!

I've read reviews where people say it's dead quiet. The Lo input is quiet pretty much the whole way, but the hi-gain input gets noisy really quick. It's a shame, too.

This amp had to be pushed to almost noon or higher to really shine, and occassionally it would be creaky. I alternated with straight sounds and pushing it hard with pedals, and for the most part it was fairly quiet. Could be the rectifier.

I wish they were separate channels.....

With both the Twinmaster and DS30 having separate non-switchable inputs (and having the good fortune to have owned both), I guess the answer is to go for a Stringmaster. I too am into the variety of sounds that lurked within this amp (four) when coupled with a 1210 cab, but was sort of frustrated that you could only bring two to the surface at a time without going through the other input. So I'd like to think a Stringmaster may be in the future.

.....cause the tone on the high gain is PHENOMENAL. There's definitely fatness, complexity, and some good "swirl" goin on. Particularly with single coils. Well worth the price and the wait, though.

It does breath pretty nice when opened up, doesn't it? The responsiveness was a definite bright spot. Since I'm Budda-less right now, I'm having an envy attack. Hope you enjoy this for a long time!!!

 

[waxnsteel]

This amp had to be pushed to almost noon or higher to really shine, and occassionally it would be creaky. I alternated with straight sounds and pushing it hard with pedals, and for the most part it was fairly quiet. Could be the rectifier.

Even quiet in the hi gain input? I'm expecting just to use th elo gain and pedals and am having pedals out front. Running the EL84's a little dirtier than the 6L6's.

But this amp is going NOWHERE!! I'm not really fickle. It's hard for me to sell gear(though right now I am selling some).

How crazy is it that I bought this rare amp from a guy named Dave "B"?

 

[Dave B]

Originally posted by waxnsteel
.....How crazy is it that I bought this rare amp from a guy named Dave "B"?

I sold my head/1210 cab earlier this spring to someone else in NJ, so I have to ask you, which Dave B, and from what part of the country? What's your serial number?

Have you had a chance to really tap into this and see what you can extract? Hopefully it is as unreal to you as it was to me.

 

[waxnsteel]

Mine's #28. I''m pissed cause I have some old JAN 6L6's that I tried to swap in, and I didn't even get a note off before the evil howling bad feedback started. Then when I tried a note, nothing happened! I put the winged C's back in, and it was return to goodness.